Tubular container for granular material



Oct. 21, 1969 R. w. HOAG TUBULAR CONTAINER FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed Jan. 24, 1968 FIG. 2

INVENTOR RODERICK WM. HOAG BY ATTORNEYfi United States Patent 3,473,650 TUBULAR CONTAINER FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL Roderick William Hoag, 1156 Main St., Lynnfield, Mass. 01940 Filed .Ian. 24, 1968, Ser. No. 700,257 Int. Cl. B65d 83/06, 33/00 US. Cl. 206-56 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to a new dispensing container construction for granular and powdered materials and especially comestibles and the like.

The instant invention is more specifically concerned with a novel commodity packet for storage and dispensing of a given quantity of salt, pepper, sugar, tea, cofiee, and other commodities which may be easily opened with but one hand.

Single use discardable packets for granular comestibles have been known in the art for a long period of time. By way of example, attention is directed to my earlier US. Patents Nos. 2,499,313 of Feb. 28, 1950; 2,784,896 of Mar. 12, 1957; 2,895,606 of July 21, 1959; and 3,263,863 of Aug. 2, 1966. Such packets as are now in use generally require a tearing motion to open the same and those packets which may be snapped opened such as modifications of the structure shown in Patent No. 2,895,606, rely upon a relatively stiff and brittle Wrapping material.

It is accordingly 9. primary object of this invention to provide a container or packet for granular material which is of rigid construction and which may be opened readily by the user with pressure of the fingers on one hand.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sealed tubular container for granular material that is relatively fully packed and, therefore, highly impervious to moisture and maintains the contents in a dry state.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sealed tubular container which when ruptured will release its contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing packet which can be produced at relatively high speed using a minimum of packaging material, which is relatively small in size and is easily fed from existing automatic vending machinery.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a dispensing packet in the form of an extruded tube or a sealed convolute wound tube which is of simple construction, is inexpensive to produce, has long shelf life, and is convenient and eflicient in use.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing packet which can be opened readily by the aged and those suffering from arthritic conditions and limited use of the hand muscles.

For yet other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the best mode now contemplated of carrying out the invention and in which;

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the tubular container of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of an extruded container taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2A is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG- URE 2 of a modified form of tubular container formed of a convolute wrapping of stock material; and

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the container in use after having been ruptured.

Reference is now made more specifically to the drawing wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein the container constituting the subject matter of this invention is designated generally at 10.

The tubular container may be formed from any desired material depending upon the particular comestible, drug, or other product to be packaged, the amount of handling the container will be subjected to and other obviously relevant factors. Paper, coated paper, thin plastic or other web material has been found suitable for this purpose and the wall tensile strength thereof may be chosen as ap propriate to the use. The material forms the outer casing 11 of the container 10. If a plastic material is used, the container tubelet may be extruded in indefinite lengths and subsequently severed into a given size package as shown in the cross section of FIGURE 2. Alternatively, the material may comprise a wound convolute form as shown in FIGURE 2A. In this form it is frequently helpful to provide the tube with a film liner all as described in greater detail in my Patent No. 3,263,863.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGURE 1, one end of the tubelet is crimped and heat sealed as at 12 and then the container is filled in the manner further described herein. The opposite end is then passed through heat sealing and crimping machinery to seal and close the same as at 13.

In the form of invention shown in FIGURE 2A, the convolute tube is heat sealed along its length as at 14 and is also crimped and heat sealed at its ends in the manner of the preferred form of FIGURE 1.

I have found that if the tubelet is filled to from percent to percent of its capacity with granular material, the tubelet becomes rigid and has a beam strength such that a shearing force or pressure applied to the mid-section thereof while support is provided on either side thereof will cause instant rupture of the material wall 11 as shown at 15 in FIGURE 3.

The granular material 16 which fills the container exerts pressures on all portions of the wall and when the container is filled to the degree indicated, the entire structure becomes quite rigid. It has been found that it is advantageous to provide a container of this type for hospital patients who have but one hand available to open such packages.

The rupture of the tubelet provides an immediate relatively wide pouring mouth for easy and rapid dispensing of the granular contents.

It has been noted that the ratio of tubelet length to cross sectional measurement is somewhat critical to proper rupturing with a minimum force and as shown in the drawing, a length equal to at least four times the width of the tubelet is required.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention and a modification, it is to be understood that the drawings and detailed disclosure are to be construed in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense since various modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A package of granular material comprising a tubular thin-walled casing being normally flexible and tearable in its unfilled state, said casing having a length equal to at least four times its width, said casing being filled to at least 85% capacity with said granular material and being sealed at its ends, wherein the package is rigid and has a beam strength such that the package may be easily ruptured upon application of a transverse force applied thereto intermediate the ends thereof by a finger of the user while the package is supported on either side of the point to which said force is applied.

2. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 1, wherein said tube is paper wound in a convolute form.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Herzog 53-39 X Swartz et a1 206-46 Bradford 206-46 Sheard 206-46 Rodgers 206-56 Hobbs et a1 206-56 X Laub 222-107 U.S. Cl. X.R. 

